<p>If you've ever gone a day without your medications or cut your pills in half to make them last a little longer, there may be relief for you.</p><p>People on a tight budget can get help paying for the premiums, deductible and co-payments in their Medicare drug plan.</p><p>About 10 million people — about one in three people with Medicare drug coverage — now enjoy the break.</p><p>But another 2 million may qualify for the help yet don't even realize it. They're missing out on hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars in savings each year.</p><p>Recent changes in the law make it easier than ever to qualify for the “extra help” program.</p><p>Even if you applied and didn't qualify before, you may be eligible now.</p><p>The amount of additional assistance you'd receive depends on your income and resources.</p><p>If you qualify for full help, you'll pay no more than $2.65 for a generic drug and $6.60 for a brand-name drug.</p><p>If you qualify for partial help, you'll pay no more than 15 percent of the cost of your drugs.</p><p>The program is estimated to save someone $4,000 a year on average. </p><p>So, if you're having difficulty affording your prescriptions, it's worth checking out.</p><p>To get the subsidy, your resources can't be more than $13,070 if you're single or $26,120 if you're a married couple living together.</p><p>Bank accounts, stocks and bonds count as resources, but homes, cars and personal belongings do not. </p><p>Also, your annual income can't be more than $16,755 if you're single or $22,695 if you're a married couple living together.</p><p>If you support family members who live with you, however, your income can be higher.</p><p>In addition, the government won't count any money you receive from friends or family for household expenses like food, rent, mortgage payments, utilities and property taxes.</p><p>Does that sound like you?</p><p>Then give yourself a break and apply.</p><p>Or if you have parents or other loved ones whom you think might benefit, reach out to them.</p><p>Helping them save money on their prescriptions is one of the best things you could do for them.</p><p>There are three ways to sign up for extra help:</p><p>n Visit the Social Security website at socialsecurity.gov/extrahelp. The online application offers step-by-step instructions and lets you work at your own pace.</p><p>n Call Social Security's toll-free number, 800-772-1213, to apply over the phone or request an application. Ask for Form SSA-1020, fill it out and return it by mail.</p><p>n Go to your local Social Security office and request help.</p><p>It's not hard to complete the form.</p><p>But you'll need your Social Security number and information about your bank balances, pensions and investments.</p><p>Social Security will review your application and send you a letter within a few weeks letting you know whether you qualify.</p><p>When you sign up for extra help, Social Security can also assist you in applying for state-run programs that pay for some of your other Medicare costs.</p><p>Those are called Medicare Savings Programs, and depending on your resources and income, they can help cover the out-of-pocket costs for other parts of Medicare.</p><p>Get in touch with Social Security today and start saving.</p><p>Bob Moos is the southwest regional public affairs officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.</p>